HBO's Documentary: 'The Latino List' Featuring Eva Longoria, America Ferrera, Pitbull And Many More

HBO will be debuting “The Latino List,” a new documentary featuring a series of “highly personal video portraits of Latinos who have richly contributed to the fabric of contemporary society.” The debut on September 28th honors Hispanic Heritage Month.

The film explores what it means to be a Latino in the United States in 2011.

Directing the film is Timothy Greenfield-Sanders, acclaimed photographer and director of the three editions of HBO’s “The Black List.” HBO says the film adds a “brand-new chapter to its oral-history book with this exclusive profile of 15 power players” as said to HuffPost Latino Voices. The intimate interviews were with award-winning journalist Maria Hinojosa, anchor of NPR's Latino USA.

“The Latino List is an extension of my previous films, which all deal with identity, struggle and achievement,” said Greenfield-Sanders. The subjects discussed what inspired them growing up, why they chose certain professions, how they overcame challenges, and the importance of preserving their Latino culture.

The Latino Lists’ interviewees “represent a diverse cross-section of disciplines” from politics, theater, science, music, business, government and journalism in the Latino community. Among them are:

“Acclaimed writer Sandra Cisneros; Grammy®-winning singer Gloria Estefan; Golden Globe-winning actress America (Ugly Betty) Ferrera; NASA astronaut Jose Moreno Hernandez; military veteran Consuelo Castillo Kickbusch; actor/writer/producer John Leguizamo; actress Eva Longoria (Desperate Housewives); U.S. Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ); rapper Pitbull; PGA golfer Chi Chi Rodriguez; ACLU Exec. Director Anthony D. Romero; radio host Eddie “Piolin” Sotelo; U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor; financial advisor Julie Stav; and scholar Dr. Marta Moreno Vega.”

“We wanted famous names, of course, but also stories from people whom you might not know about,” said Greenfield-Sanders. “I’m very proud of the film and think it has a great emotional resonance.”

The Latino List debuts Wednesday, September 28th at 9pm on HBO Latino and Thursday, September 29th at 8pm on HBO in celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month. The film will air in both English and Spanish on HBO.

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Comments

[GraceTiscareno]

05:34 PM on 09/21/2011

The problem is airing this on HBO Latino instead of a mainstream channel. It's preaching to the choir instead of showing Latino goodness to all of America, which desperately needs it but never sees it....

[ms.understood]

11:12 AM on 09/20/2011

please stop calling pitbull a 'rapper.' his music is garbage!

[Diana San]

10:24 PM on 09/28/2011

Funny that you proclaim yourself to be "pro-choice". I didn't like the music either, until I really listen to the lyrics. He is a very intelligent man.

[ms.understood]

12:11 AM on 09/30/2011

whatever i ''proclaim'' is really none of your business. if you don't like what i said, tough!

[carlosiic]

05:49 PM on 09/19/2011

Where are the engineers, scientists, mathematicians, doctors, entrepreneurs, great politicians, real artists (apart from rappers and other outdated musicians)?
Wait a minute, I remember, they live in Latin America and Europe.

Perhaps, if they switch Novelas at Univision for documentaries PBS style like Frontline or POV, and shows like Mira quien Baila or that new kids "talent" show for Jeopardy style TV shows, Would latinos be perceived then differently?. In this country "Latino" is identified stereotypically as Mexican or Cuban, and I'm not talking the likes of Vicente Fox or Roberto Goizueta.I'm talking more like Vicente Fernandez and Roberto Clemente.

To be Latino, is to be discriminated against your last name, your accent (unless you talk like Pitbull), your skin color, or simply for being "Mexican" (e.g.Dominican, Honduran, Colombian, Ecuadorian... it is all the same ), is to be prisoner in a country where you can't get a decent job, unless you work for pennies to clean toilets. Latino in America is to be taxed without representation, to be enslaved and forced to work overtime without remuneration, to live in the ghetto with the other undeserved population in the US. SO let's stop clebrating the few beautiful women that made it in Hollywood and that stupid Leguizamo guy. Sonia Sotomayor, allright Obama apointed her... politics to win appeal among us. I have not seen the gold paved roads, and so far it seems like the "American nightmare" for Latinos here.

[GravitonX]

12:09 AM on 09/20/2011

Latino is an American concoction in the making. Especially if you're not raised here, it feels, well, bizarre.

Ah well, who cares? It's a wonderful community;)

[ms.understood]

11:13 AM on 09/20/2011

so, why not go home, or wherever your family's country of origin is?

[tb philly]

10:51 AM on 09/19/2011

So some millionaire celeberities who don't live in the real world are going to explain what its like to be Latinio? Thats a good one.

[Califishing]

08:25 AM on 09/18/2011

Where is the ever sexy Rosie Perez?

[mrh85]

03:19 PM on 09/17/2011

I absolutely love Sandra Cisneros, she is an amazing writer!

[ElCojonuo]

10:13 AM on 09/17/2011

Where's my picture up there ?
I've lived very intresting life; I've got a story to tell.

[Cindy Y. Rodriquez]

10:34 AM on 09/19/2011

Contact HBO Latino!

[Consequence]

04:25 PM on 09/19/2011

You'll need a phone card from the local 711.

[bradyd]

08:26 AM on 09/17/2011

Sounds cool..

[DreamWeaver2nd]

03:36 AM on 09/17/2011

Excellent! Important. For so many reasons ... I want to listen to what they have to say.

[Readbetweentheelevens]

03:20 AM on 09/17/2011

John Leguizamo is a true American genius.

[DreamWeaver2nd]

03:37 AM on 09/17/2011

Opted out ... you're funny!

[Readbetweentheelevens]

03:42 AM on 09/17/2011

I thought it was funny. I match and all that.

[malango]

12:30 AM on 09/17/2011

Here we go again and again...the same people..ten Mexicans ten Cubans two Puertoricans and maybe one or other Colombian or Venezuelan it's always the Same faces as with Premios Lo Nuestro..Tired of it...it's all a Farce.

[ElCojonuo]

10:13 AM on 09/17/2011

Notice no Niches.

[LaSweetPoison]

11:50 PM on 09/16/2011

Some people say: "What's so special about Latin Americans?". Simple: we owe them. One third of our country, we stole from them.

[edejan]

01:34 AM on 09/17/2011

Thank you. Faved.

[R Biro]

01:55 AM on 09/17/2011

And they stole it from the natives that were there before them. Drawing a Country's lines is a violent task. Some say "we stole from them" other say we won it. Either way its history and they are not entitled to anything more than any other citizen because they lost a war. We owe them nothing.

[geez98765]

09:32 AM on 09/17/2011

R Biro;
You're as ignorant and racist as they come. The composition of a Mexican is Native American and Spanish blood. The names of the cities were changed from their original names to Spanish, but the natives or mexicans were already there. So we didn't originate in Spain or Europe. You need to do a little bit of research before you spew out all your racist vitriol.
geez987656

[citlalib]

11:26 PM on 09/16/2011

I'm so sick of Eva Longoria, she isn't the only latina actress in Hollywood so why does she keep popping up everywhere? give us a break already.

[Gay Iberian]

12:26 AM on 09/17/2011

Her agent worked out a good contract deal with HBO...

[DreamWeaver2nd]

03:39 AM on 09/17/2011

Eva grows more beautiful. Her family history is fascinating. It's a good story and worth paying attention to.

[spytheweb]

11:13 PM on 09/16/2011

How many Latinos actually speak any Latin?

"Latin (English pronunciation: /ˈlætɪn/; Latin: lingua latīna, IPA: [laˈtiːna]) is an Italic language[3] originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the Ancient Proto-Indo-European language"

[Jayjaybe]

12:02 AM on 09/17/2011

Your selective excerpting is quaint. Try this:

"The Romance languages (sometimes referred to as Romanic languages, Latin languages or Neo-Latin languages) are a branch of the Indo-European language family, more precisely of the Italic languages subfamily, comprising all the languages that descend from Vulgar Latin, the language of ancient Rome.

"Nowadays the six most widely spoken standardized Romance languages are Spanish (c. 320 million native), Portuguese (c. 200 million native), French (c. 70 million native, and at least that many non-native), Italian (c. 60 million native), Romanian (c. 24 million native), and Catalan (c. 12 million native)."
[Wikipedia, richly referenced]

[EvasDaddy]

12:49 AM on 09/17/2011

Nice squelch. Jayjaybe.

Thanks, from a 100% Latino. (Basque)

[janeyre]

09:09 AM on 09/17/2011

Thank for the input, Jayjaybe. For that you get F/F...

[Gay Iberian]

12:25 AM on 09/17/2011

And your point being...?

[janeyre]

09:59 PM on 09/16/2011

Well, I sure learned something today... Never heard of Pitbull... When I saw the Title, I was puzzled... Kept wondering what or who Pitbull was... Oh well, I will mark the date. I sure like the article. Some of the most beautiful of people, are Latino...